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Careers & Volunteering

Will you join us? ARC teams are reimagining humanitarianism for the 21st Century. We are on a mission to transform our work to be more human, impactful, relevant and authentic. The world’s problems are tougher than ever, but we also see an unprecedented opportunity to bring a world full of amazing people together to work on these hard challenges.

Let’s Do Something

ARC often hosts events and opportunities open to the public, and we speak to community groups all the time. We also love new ideas and the chance to work with new people and groups to make change in the world. You can find ways to get to know us and get involved or reach out to an ARC team member to simply ask a question or inquire about how we might work together.

Many Ways to Give

We believe that giving is an incredibly personal experience – and that’s why people choose to give in so many different ways. But deciding how to give can also be an overwhelming experience. We’ve compiled some of the most common ways that people choose to support refugees and the American Refugee Committee. Please use the information provided as a guide but know that at the American Refugee Committee we remain open to new and different ways of giving.

Asili

For more than 20 years, the deadliest conflict since World War II has stunted development in eastern Congo. Health care and other vital services have been provided through foreign aid budgets, but inconsistent funding and frequently shuttered facilities mean these services are almost never available when Congolese families really need them.

Asili is working to change that. A business startup co-created by ARC, USAID international partners, and Congolese families, Asili takes an approach of long-term sustainable development using business principles. It can be thought of as a strip mall with a cluster of businesses in one location, tackling both supply-of and demand-for services. The current business lines include a health clinic, a clean water distribution system, and an agricultural cooperative to help farmers increase their yields and incomes. Services are linked through a monthly membership, which allows members access at reduced prices. The platform is both real and virtual – located in villages and powered by technology.

Agricultural Co-op

Asili’s agricultural cooperatives are the spark that gets a community’s economy moving. Asili provides local farmers with the resources, tools, and training they need to become successful and profitable farmers. We give them a loan in the form of seeds and fertilizer, and then provide a guaranteed market to sell their goods once they’re harvested. This model is working. So far we’ve sold over 300 tons of potatoes, Asili’s main crop. Farmers are increasing their income, empowering them to save and access membership in Asili and the other services it provides.

Primary Healthcare

Our clinics are beautiful. Designed with the families who now visit the clinic, patients have remarked on how they stand out as beacons of hope in their communities. And, most importantly, they offer high quality healthcare – at prices that are affordable to the average Congolese consumer. Since the first clinic’s launch in 2014, our staff have served thousands of patients. Our reputation for incredible quality is spreading. Patients come from all over the region to be treated. Lives have been changed by the simple act of receiving a correct diagnosis for a chronic illness. Having an Asili clinic in your town is viewed as a point of pride - in amazing quality being delivered by Congolese and for Congolese communities.

Our water system

Water is life, a basic need used for drinking, cleaning, bathing, and cooking. For many people living in Eastern Congo though, clean water is a resource that is tragically lacking. Currently operating at conveniently located retail outlets in five villages, and soon to be expanding, Asili’s gravity-based reservoir system has revolutionized our customers’ ability to obtain clean, safe water. So far, we’ve sold over 3,000,000 liters. We are constantly undergoing improvements to ensure that Asili water is reaching the highest possible levels of service. And we’re prototyping the potential of our water sales, selling water in the closest big city, Bukavu, to businesses, establishments, and even other NGOs. We’re learning and growing, determining the best way to bring clean water to as many people as possible.

Asili is rehabilitating communities and en­couraging sustainable and lasting develop­ment in one of the most challenging areas of the world.

It feels a little bit heavy, I think it’s a huge title or responsibility to feel you’re a change maker… but, yes, I like to feel I’m a part of change.

- Abraham Leno, Country Director

Asili

Recent Info

Last month, we sat down with some of our Congolese teammates who’ve been with us since the very beginning. People like José Katumba, who was instrumental to paving the way toward the first launch in Buhanga, to Michelline Engiteyo, who was based in Kinshasa for years, working with the Congolese government to get the permits and licenses we need to perate. We asked them what keeps them motivated - what gets them to work everyday. And it was amazing to hear their responses. Read More

Since the day Asili launched in 2013, we’ve been learning – talking to the communities where we work, tracking our business model, adjusting as we grow. And now, we’re excited to announce that we’ve taken that knowledge and applied it to our newest venture – the launch of Zone 4!Read More

From the very beginning, Asili has been about getting world-class quality services to communities. We’ve followed through on that promise with water facilities and healthcare clinics that not only work, but offer never before seen quality. But now, we’ve focused our efforts on making sure that communities not only have access to our services, but that everyone in those communities can afford them.

Part of running a world-class business means constantly iterating, testing, and adjusting how we do things. And now that Asili is going on its third year, we’ve learned enough about our existing businesses that we feel comfortable taking that next step – learning how Asili can be even better. Read More

It’s a new year, and along with it a new beginning for Asili! Late last month, the doors to Asili’s third clinic in Mudaka were opened for business. Months of hard work paid off as Zone 3 became a reality! Read More